Mr Aberthonhttps://mraberthon.com
The Hotspot ProfessionalThu, 17 Aug 2017 17:33:12 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7A Quick Look at Google Appshttps://mraberthon.com/quick-look-google-apps/
https://mraberthon.com/quick-look-google-apps/#respondThu, 17 Aug 2017 16:00:42 +0000https://mraberthon.com/?p=6198A Quick Look at Google Apps Google, in their bid for global domination, have fingers in more pies than the average careless baker. One of those pies is their suite of apps intended to bring several services together in one […]

Google, in their bid for global domination, have fingers in more pies than the average careless baker. One of those pies is their suite of apps intended to bring several services together in one place. Here, we take a brief look at what the are, and how they might be useful. It’s not an in depth guide, as such, but will hopefully prompt you to look further at what Google Apps can do for you.

Gmail

Ah, Gmail. There’s no getting away from it, really.

If you already have a Google account of any kind, which you’ll need in order to use any of the apps here, there’s a good chance you already have a Gmail account, even if you don’t use it. Until fairly recently, to sign up for a Google account meant you had to have a Gmail email address. Google have since relaxed that requirement in certain circumstances but, for those who signed up when it was still mandatory, getting out of using the address is almost impossible.

But, despite that, Gmail as an email service is actually pretty good. Email inboxes can very quickly get incredibly large, and many providers do place restrictions on the amount of space available. In the case of Gmail, Google provide a fairly generous 15GB of free space, with more available to purchase. We say “fairly generous”, despite 15GB being the equivalent of a massive number of emails including attachments, but that 15GB also includes the total space available to the Google Photos and Google Drive apps, so it can get eaten up if you’re not careful.

Gmail has some great features right out of the box, from the automatic threading of messages so all in a single email chain appear together, built in spam and anti-virus checking, priority email marking, archiving and more. It’s also available in a web browser, on your smartphone and even via a 3rd party email client like Thunderbird. Best of all, it just works exactly as it should.

Google Drive

Google Drive is, in many ways, the core product in the Google App Suite due to the fact it incorporates so many other elements apart from just basic storage. As we’ve said, the 15GB of free storage is pretty good, and upgrading to 100GB is only a couple of dollars a month at present. Google do change the storage allowance from time to time, and bonuses can be earned by various methods that change regularly so, well, Google it if you want to know more.

Inside the Google Drive environment is the ability to view many different types of file that you may have uploaded. These include all Microsoft Office formats, Apple pages, most common image and video filetypes, and a few more. You can edit all MS Office documents from right inside the Drive interface, where it will load Google Docs. Changes are saved automatically, so make sure you have copies of the original files if you need them.

Editing .doc, .xls or .ppt is very similar to doing it inside Office itself, and all files including images and videos can be shared with one or more people, whether they have a Google account or not.

For collaborations, this is a brilliantly simple way to work. As long as you give editing permissions when you share a document, all the people you share with can make changes to those documents at the same time. In Sheets, only one person can edit a cell at the same time whilst, in Docs, anybody can make changes at any time. Changes made whilst you have a document of any kind open are color-highlighted so you know edits have been made.

In Google Sheets, you can even create forms which interact with the spreadsheet directly, to record answers or other data. This is a great way to take out the often laborious step of having to collate data into a spreadsheet manually.

Even if you feel some of the apps in the Google App suite might not be for you, Drive and Docs, alone, make it an essential addition to your workflow.

Google Keep

One of the best kept secrets in the Google App armory is Keep, a note taking service that does more than just take notes. Although not a rival for Evernote in the note taking and organizing stakes, Keep is lightweight, very fast, and seams flawlessly with everything you do in your Google account. Syncing is automatic, with no effort from you, and Keep also harbors a handful of great features despite its slim footprint.

A widget is available right from your Android device home screen from which you can set a reminder, type a note or dictate a message (which can be automatically transcribed into editable text, by the way).

If you’re in for keeps (see what we did?) with Google, then Keep is just a fantastic little added bonus. Yes, you can worry about how much information you give to Google, but that ship has probably sailed long ago, so stop worrying.

Google Photos

If you have an Android smartphone, Google Photos is right there with you every time you take a picture with your phone’s camera, including (assuming you have backup turned on) uploading those images to Google Drive automatically.

Photos is a Google App that is best used from right on your smartphone. You can manage images and more from the desktop when logged in, but it really is designed for your phone, so why fight it?

You can create albums, animations and even movie-like slideshows. You can share any image by email, Twitter, Facebook, text and more, if you use those services and have the necessary apps installed. You can edit images and add filters to them before sending and can even set the upload quality in order to save space.

The three available screens of Google Photos include an Assistant, which will suggest collages or movies based on what’s in your library. It will also periodically do it automatically and let you know by way of a notification. You can choose to keep or discard any of the suggestions it makes and, perhaps surprisingly, it’s a nice little feature to have.

Perhaps the most anonymous feature of Google Photos is also its most useful. If you have a large collection of family photos, including of your kids over a period of several years, Photos is capable of searching and finding pictures of the kids at various ages by way of facial recognition. If this sounds a little creepy, it shouldn’t, it’s a massive timesaver and saves paging through a million images looking for that one special shot of little Hank or Hannah.

The Google App Suite is great, it really is. Yes, you need to suspend your suspicion of how much data Google is collecting, but by now we have to assume they have less malicious a plan for it than many other data-miners out there, such is the level of their public profile and the watchers of their activities.

If you regularly need to create or edit MS Office documents, it’s a no-brainer. If you need cloud storage, ditto. Even if you just need to organize your photos, the apps is better than most options out there.

Of all the things the internet allows you to do for free, this is right up there with the best.

]]>https://mraberthon.com/quick-look-google-apps/feed/0To Buy Or Not To Buy A Smartwatch?https://mraberthon.com/buy-not-buy-smartwatch/
https://mraberthon.com/buy-not-buy-smartwatch/#respondTue, 15 Aug 2017 16:00:23 +0000https://mraberthon.com/?p=6193To Buy Or Not To Buy A Smartwatch? Okay, so we’ve past by boring old smartphones and are firmly into smartwatch territory, right? Except, how many people do you actually see wearing and using smartwatches? Very few, actually, but why? […]

Okay, so we’ve past by boring old smartphones and are firmly into smartwatch territory, right? Except, how many people do you actually see wearing and using smartwatches? Very few, actually, but why? The technology is reliable, and the concept is a potential game changer for smartphone users, so why is take-up dropping month by month?

Apple, just as they did when the kick-started the smartphone revolution with the original iPhone, were the original driving force behind smartwatches with the Apple Watch, but even that saw a huge downturn in sales after the initial buzz had died down. Now, there are tons of smartwatches available not just from all the big smartphone players, but also from luxury watchmakers and others trying to muscle in on the act.

There are a number of reasons why you shouldn’t buy a smartwatch. For one, anything even half-decent isn’t going to be cheap. You might well have already spent hundreds of dollars on a smartphone, and a good smartwatch is probably going to run to another $300 or so. And, for another thing, what a smartwatch can actually do doesn’t make it a replacement for your smartphone, it’s simply an add-on device that means you don’t need to keep taking your phone out of your pocket to check notifications.

The Apple Watch is the most capable of all the current solutions but, as you’d expect, it only works with iPhones. Even then, apps are somewhat limited, and the practical use you’ll get from it is limited. Android Wear 2 devices offer little more than notifications and fitness info, using your phone’s built in features, assuming it has them. App stores for smartwatches are separate from the normal app stores we’ve all been using for years, but developers are coming on board all the time, so these should increase in number significantly.

Oh, and battery life is usually cripplingly poor.

Despite, what we’ve said above, there are actually a number of reasons why you should, in fact, at least consider buying a smartwatch. If not now, then at some point. Basically, don’t dismiss it entirely, not yet.

From the release of the original Apple Watch until the release of Android Wear 2.0 compatible devices, the technology has improved, but is still probably a little too restrictive for most people to consider buying one immediately. However, some manufacturers have identified the ideal use for a smartwatch, and it all revolves around something we mentioned above, fitness.

Fitness tracking is now big business. If you’re a runner or other sports freak and want to know how much distance you cover in any given period, or even if you just want to know how far you walk (or don’t walk!) in an average day, then you’re covered from every angle.

Companies like GPS navigation experts Garmin, or relative newcomers Fitbit have released full ranges of smartwatches to provide fitness tracking without the need for a chest strap or even needing your smartphone to be nearby. Simply put the watch on your wrist, change a setting or two and off you go. To get full use from such devices, you will need a compatible app on your smartphone, but there are several available, including the manufacturer’s own apps in the case of Garmin and Fitbit.

Because fitness-specific semi-smartwatches aren’t trying to do everything the likes of the Apple Watch are doing, battery life is greatly improved and, crucially, the cost of buying one can be less than half the price of a “true” smartwatch.

Okay, so such paired down devices might not be doing everything originally envisaged from a smartwatch, but it does make them very useful, and more and more true smartwatches are being released as time goes by, which should drive purchase costs down, even in the short term.

It’s unlikely that smartwatches will ever be a replacement for a smartphone, in part due to the impracticalities of such a small screen, but we’ll see. If you’re a fitness fanatic, then take a look at the massive range of devices currently available, if you want more, then we advise to wait and see for a while. In the tech industry, time moves very, very quickly, so you won’t have to wait too long before smartwatches start to catch up with their bigger phone siblings.

]]>https://mraberthon.com/buy-not-buy-smartwatch/feed/0Troubleshooting the Motorola Droid Ultrahttps://mraberthon.com/troubleshooting-motorola-droid-ultra/
https://mraberthon.com/troubleshooting-motorola-droid-ultra/#respondTue, 15 Aug 2017 15:27:21 +0000https://mraberthon.com/?p=6588Learn more about the Motorola Droid Ultra Table of Contents 1 – Factory reset How to do a factory reset 2 – Screen 2A – How to change to a new background […]

8. How to take a picture

Point the device towards the object or person you’d like to photograph.

Tap the screen to select the focal point.

Press the lower volume key to take the picture.

To view the image, open gallery or photos in the ‘Apps’ menu.

9A. How to see available storage amounts

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Press ‘Storage’ under ‘Device’ section

View the storage amounts available as well as the store amounts used.

9B. How to clear cookies and cache

Open the ‘Chrome’ app

Press the ‘Options’ icon (3 dots on top right of screen)

Press ‘Settings’

Press ‘Privacy’

Press ‘Clear Browsing Data’

Check off what you’d like to clear

Press ‘Clear’

10A. How to see my data usage

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Press ‘Data Usage’ under the ‘Wireless & Networks’ section

View Data Usage.

Set the data usage cycle

View which apps or systems use the most data

View how much each app or system uses up of data within this usage cycle

10B. How to tether via USB

Connect the USB cable to the computer.

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Press ‘More’ under ‘Wireless & Networks’ section

Press ‘Tethering and Wi-Fi Hotspot’

Press ‘USB Tethering’

10C. How to adjust USB connection options

Drag down the header and touch ‘Connected as a media device’

Select the desired option.

MTP – Allows you to transfer files to and from a computer

PTP – Allows you to transfer all files to and from a computer as well as images using the camera software.

10D. How to reset to default APN settings

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Press ‘More’ under ‘Wireless & Networks’ section

Press ‘Mobile Networks’

Press ‘Access Point Names’

Press the Options key

Press ‘Reset to Default’

The original APN settings will now restore.

A reset may help if there is a lack of connection to the proper network.

Phones are often connected a company and therefore branded with their apps and set with their APN settings. If you are trying to switch networks from the original one, call up the provider and receive their APN settings.

10E. How to use my mobile device as a hotspot

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Press ‘More’ under ‘Wireless & Networks’ section

Press ‘Tethering and Mobile Hotspots’

Press ‘Mobile Hotspot’

Press ‘Configure Mobile Hotspot’

Personalize the name of your device hotspot

Personalize the password

Press ‘Save’

Turn on the ‘Mobile Hotspot’ feature in the previous setting

To connect to the hotspot, search for its name under the Wi-Fi settings and enter the password. A hotspot can connect to multiple devices.

Warning: The original hotspot should have unlimited data or be connected via Wi-Fi to avoid being charged extra costs by the network provider. The devices will use the internet of the first device.

10F. How to to turn on or off Wi-Fi

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Turn on the ‘Wi-Fi’ by pressing on the toggle button

Press on the words ‘Wi-Fi’ to see the networks to connect to

Select the desired Wi-Fi network

Enter the Password. To see the password as you type, press on the ‘Show Password’ box.

Press ‘Connect’

Wi-Fi is now connected.

To disconnect from Wi-Fi:

Do steps 1-2

Turn off the ‘Wi-Fi’ by pressing on the toggle button.

To forget a network:

Do steps 1-2

Press on the words ‘Wi-Fi’

Press on the network you are connected to

Press ‘Forget’

If desired, turn off the ‘Wi-Fi’ capabilities as stated above.

10G. How to turn on or off roaming

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Press ‘More’ under ‘Wireless & Networks’ section

Press ‘Mobile Networks’

Press ‘Global Data Roaming Access’

Adjust the options as desired

Press ‘Ok’

Suggestion: Ensure that data roaming is included in your network package if you leave the state/country often to avoid being charged an extra fee

You may need to do a network search to discover the proper networks available in your area.

10H. How to add or remove an email address

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Press ‘Add Account’ under ‘Accounts’ section

Select the type of account you’d like to add

Press ‘Existing’

Type in the username and password

Press ‘Done’

Press ‘OK’

Wait a moment for it to connect

Adjust details for the new account such as if it should be a backup for your devices data

Press the triangle arrow to confirm

To remove an account:

Do steps 1-2 as stated above.

Press on the account type you’d like to remove

Press on the account name

Press on the ‘Options’ icon (3 dots) on the top right of the screen

Press ‘Remove Account’

Press ‘Remove Account’ to confirm

Please note: Removing an account will remove all data related to it as well. It will be still be accessible online via different device or computer or by signing in through a browser on this device as well.

10I. How to turn on or off Bluetooth

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Press on the words ‘Bluetooth’

Turn on the slider near ‘Bluetooth’

Press on the device’s name to make it visible to other devices

Press on the nearby device you desire to connect to

Confirm by pressing ‘Pair’ on both devices

They are now paired.

To forget a Bluetooth connection:

Do steps 1-3

Press on the paired device’s name

Press Unpair

Press on the device’s name to make it hidden from other devices.

Turn off Bluetooth by pressing on the slider towards the top of the screen

11A. How to enable or disable my own caller ID

The only method of how to block your own number from being seen by others when you are calling them, is do dial *67 prior to typing in their phone number.

11B. How to forward my calls to another phone number

Dial *72

Type in the phone number of which you want to forward all incoming calls

Press ‘Call’

There will be a confirmation message.

Hang up

11C. How to bar certain numbers from calling me

Open the Phone app

Press the ‘Option’ key

Press ‘Call Settings’

Press ‘Call Rejection’

Press ‘Auto Reject mode’

Toggle the switch button

Press ‘Auto reject list’

Press ‘Create’

Type in the phone number to block

Press ‘Match Criteria’

Press the desired options

Press ‘Save’

You may press the ‘Unknown’ check box to block any unknown numbers from calling.

The phone will send a message when a incoming call has been rejected.

To undo:

Do steps 1-5

Press ‘Auto Reject List’

Uncheck the numbers that you want to un-block

11D. How to add a contact or delete it

To add a new contact to an address book:

Option 1:

Open the Contacts app

Press the Plus (+) icon on the bottom of the screen

Type in the Name, Phone number, Email and any other information for the new contact

Press ‘Save

Option 2:

Open the Calling app

Type in the number you’d like to add

Press ‘Options’ icon (3 dots)

Press ‘Add to Contacts’

Press ‘Create New Contact’

Add the Name, Email and other information

Press ‘Save’

To delete a contact:

Open the Contacts app

Search for the contact to delete

Press on the contact

Press the ‘Options’ icon (3 dots)

Press ‘Delete’

Press ‘OK’

12A. How to see my software version

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Press ‘About Device’ under ‘System’ section

Read the Software information

12B. How to update my software version

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Press ‘System Updates’

Wait a moment

Press ‘Yes, I’m in’ if an update is available. If it is up to date, check back in later.

13A. How to send a text or MMS

To send a text:

Open the messaging app

Press the (+) icon on the bottom left corner to compose a message

Add the contact to whom the message will be sent

Add the message to the message field

Press ‘Send’

To send a multimedia message (MMS):

Do steps 1-4

Press the paper clip icon to attach media to the message

Choose which media to add and from where to find it. In this example we will be doing ‘Pictures’

Press the location in which the find the image. Press ‘Gallery’ if its an image you photographed.

Open the section within gallery where the image is located

Select the desired images

Press the send icon (above the paper clip icon) to send the message.

13B. How to delete a text or MMS

Open the ‘Messaging’ App

Open the thread in which the message is located

To delete an individual message: Hold down the text to delete and press ‘Delete’. Press ‘Delete.

To delete the thread: Hold down the thread and press the recycling bin to delete. Press ‘Delete.

]]>https://mraberthon.com/troubleshooting-motorola-droid-ultra/feed/0Troubleshooting the Samsung Galaxy S3https://mraberthon.com/samsung-galaxy-3/
https://mraberthon.com/samsung-galaxy-3/#respondMon, 14 Aug 2017 19:01:55 +0000https://mraberthon.com/?p=4977Learn more about the Samsung Galaxy S3 Table of Contents 1 – Factory reset How to do a factory reset 2 – Screen 2A – How to change to a new background image 2B – How to […]

8. How to take a picture

Point the device towards the object or person you’d like to photograph.

Tap the screen to select the focal point.

Press the camera image button to capture the image.

To view the image, press on the image that appears on the top left of the screen.

9A. How to see available storage amounts

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘More’

Press ‘Storage’

View the storage amounts available as well as the store amounts used.

9B. How to clear cookies and cache

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Chrome’ or ‘Browser’ option.

Press the ‘Options’ Key

Press ‘Settings’

Press ‘Privacy and Security’

Press ‘Clear Cache’

Press ‘OK’

Press ‘Clear History’

Press ‘OK’

Press ‘Clear All Cookie Data’

Press ‘OK’

10A. How to see my data usage

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Press ‘Data Usage’

View Data Usage.

Set the data usage cycle

View which apps or systems use the most data

View how much each app or system uses up of data within this usage cycle

10B. How to tether via USB

Connect the USB cable to the computer.

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Press ‘More networks’

Press ‘Tethering and Wi-Fi Hotspot’

Press ‘USB Tethering’

10C. How to adjust USB connection options

Drag down the header and touch ‘Connected as a media device’

Select the desired option.

MTP – Allows you to transfer files to and from a computer

PTP – Allows you to transfer all files to and from a computer as well as images using the camera software.

10D. How to reset to default APN settings

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Press ‘More Networks’

Press ‘Mobile Networks’

Press ‘Access Point Names’

Press the Options key

Press ‘Restore to Default’

The original APN settings will now restore.

A reset is in order if there is difficulty connecting to the proper network provider.

Phone are often branded to a specific company, so even if they are unlocked you may need to call in to your provider to get the correct APN settings. It is to tell the device to connect to this network and not the one it was originally programmed to work with. Press the plus sign on the top right of the ‘Access Point Names’ screen and add all the necessary information.

10E. How to use my mobile device as a hotspot

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Press ‘More Networks’

Press ‘Tethering and Mobile Hotspots’

Press ‘Mobile Hotspot’

Press ‘Configure’

Personalize the name of your device hotspot

Personalize the password

Press ‘Save’

Turn on the ‘Mobile Hotspot’ feature in the previous setting

On the devices looking to connect to the hotspot, search for this hotspot name under the Wi-Fi settings. Type in the password and enjoy. Multiple devices can connect to one device hotspot.

Warning: Connect to Wi-Fi or have an unlimited data plan on the original hotspot device to avoid being charged extra costs by the network provider. The devices can connect to the internet using the data of the mobile hotspot.

10F. How to to turn on or off Wi-Fi

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Turn on the ‘Wi-Fi’ by pressing on the toggle button

Press on the words ‘Wi-Fi’ to see the networks to connect to

Select the desired Wi-Fi network

Enter the Password. To see the password as you type, press on the ‘Show Password’ box.

Press ‘Connect’

Wi-Fi is now connected.

To disconnect from Wi-Fi:

Do steps 1-3

Turn off the ‘Wi-Fi’ by pressing on the toggle button.

To forget a network:

Do steps 1-3

Press on the words ‘Wi-Fi’

Press on the network you are connected to

Press ‘Forget’

If desired, turn off the ‘Wi-Fi’ capabilities as stated above.

10G. How to turn on or off roaming

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Press ‘More Networks’

Press ‘Mobile Networks’

Press on the checkbox near ‘Data Roaming’

Press ‘Ok’

Suggestion: Include roaming in your data package if you leave the state/country often to avoid being charged extra for it when the need arises

It is possible that the device may not automatically connect to the correct network (although there is such a setting), so conduct a network search and choose your preferred one.

10H. How to add or remove an email address

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Account’

Press ‘Add Account’

Select the type of account you’d like to add

Press ‘Existing’

Type in the username and password

Press ‘Done’

Press ‘OK’

Adjust details for the new account such as if it should be a backup for your devices data

Press the triangle arrow to confirm

To remove an account:

Do steps 1-3 as stated above.

Press on the account type you’d like to remove

Press on the account name

Press ‘Remove Account’ that is located on the bottom of the screen

Press ‘Remove Account’ to confirm

Please note: All emails and/or data that is associated with the account will be removed from your device. Accessing these details will be possible using a different device or computer.

10I. How to turn on or off Bluetooth

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Turn on the slider near ‘Bluetooth’

Press on the words ‘Bluetooth’

Check off the box near the phone’s name to make it visible to other devices

Press on the desired nearby device to connect to

Confirm by pressing ‘Ok’ on both devices

They are now paired.

To forget a Bluetooth connection:

Do steps 1-4

Press the settings picture near the bluetooth device

Press Unpair

Turn off Bluetooth by pressing on the slider towards the top of the screen

11A. How to enable or disable my own caller ID

Open the Phone app

Press the ‘Option’ key

Press ‘Call Settings’

Press ‘Additional Settings’

Press ‘Caller ID’

Press ‘Hide Number’ to hide it from all outgoing calls. To hide it temporarily, press *67 before making a call

To disable this feature, press ‘Show Number’

11B. How to forward my calls to another phone number

Open the Phone app

Press the ‘Option’ key

Press ‘Call Settings’

Press ‘Additional Settings’

Press ‘Call Forwarding’

Choose the desired option

Type in the phone number to forward calls to

Press ‘Turn On’

11C. How to bar certain numbers from calling me

Open the Phone app

Press the ‘Option’ key

Press ‘Call Settings’

Press ‘Call Rejection’

Press ‘Auto Reject list’

Press ‘Create’

Type in the phone number to block

Press ‘Save’

To undo:

Do steps 1-5

Check off the phone number you’d like to un-bar

Press ‘Delete’ on upper right hand corner

11D. How to add a contact or delete it

To add a new contact to an address book:

Option 1:

Open the Contacts app

Press the Plus (+) sign on the upper right hand corner

Type in the Name, Phone number, Email and any other information for the new contact

Press ‘Done’

Press ‘Save

Option 2:

Open the Calling app

Type in the number you’d like to add

Press ‘Create Contact’

Press ‘Create Contact’

Add the Name, Email and other information

Press ‘Save’

To delete a contact:

Open the Contacts app

Search for the contact to delete

Press on the contact

Press the ‘Options’ key

Press ‘Delete’

Press ‘OK’

12A. How to see my software version

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘More’

Press ‘About Device’

Read the Software information

12B. How to update my software version

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘More’

Press ‘About Device’

Press ‘Software Update’

Press ‘Check for Updates’

Press ‘OK’

If there is an update, it will prompt you to update it. If there isn’t it will say ‘Current Software is Up to Date’

Press ‘OK’

13A. How to send a text or MMS

To send a text:

Open the messaging app

Press the icon on the top right corner to compose a message

Add the contact to whom the message will be sent

Add the message to the message field

Press the send icon (above the paper clip icon) to send the message.

To send a multimedia message (MMS):

Do steps 1-4

Press the paper clip icon to attach media to the message

Choose which media to add and from where to find it. In this example we will be doing ‘Image’

Press the location in which the find the image. Press ‘Gallery’ if its an image you photographed.

Open the section within gallery where the image is located

Select the desired images

Press the send icon (above the paper clip icon) to send the message.

13B. How to delete a text or MMS

Open the ‘Messaging’ App

Open the thread in which the message is located

To delete an individual message: Hold down the text to delete and press ‘Delete’

To delete the thread: Press ‘Delete’ and the entire thread will be deleted.

8. How to take a picture

Point the device towards the object or person you’d like to photograph.

Tap the screen to select the focal point.

Press the camera image button to capture the image.

To view the image, press on the image that appears on the top left of the screen.

To delete:

Press the trash can on the top of the screen

Press ‘Delete’ to confirm

9A. How to see available storage amounts

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘General’

Press ‘Storage’

View the storage amounts available as well as the store amounts used.

9B. How to clear cookies and cache

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Chrome’ or ‘Browser’ option.

Press the ‘Options’ icon (3 dots on top of screen)

Press ‘Settings’

Press ‘Privacy’

Press ‘Delete Personal Data’

Select the data types to delete

Press ‘Delete’

10A. How to see my data usage

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Press ‘Data Usage’

View Data Usage.

Set the data usage cycle

View which apps or systems use the most data

View how much each app or system uses up of data within this usage cycle

10B. How to tether via USB

Connect the USB cable to the computer.

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Press ‘More networks’

Press ‘Tethering and Mobile Hotspot’

Press the checkbox near ‘USB Tethering’

10C. How to adjust USB connection options

Drag down the header and touch ‘Connected as a media device’

Select the desired option.

MTP – To transfer files to and from a computer

PTP – To transfer all files to and from a computer as well as images using the camera software.

10D. How to reset to default APN settings

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Press ‘More Networks’

Press ‘Mobile Networks’

Press ‘Access Point Names’

Press the Options icon on the top right (3 dots)

Press ‘Reset to Default’

The original APN settings will now restore.

This option is needed at times, if the settings were changed and therefore the data no longer works.

If you have changed service providers are or are not using the phone’s branded network, contact your network for its APN settings. Press the plus sign on the top right of the ‘Access Point Names’ screen and add all the necessary information. This will cause the phone to switch tracks and connect to the new network.

10E. How to use my mobile device as a hotspot

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Press ‘More Networks’

Press ‘Tethering and Mobile Hotspots’

Press ‘Mobile Hotspot’

Turn on the toggle button near ‘Mobile Hotspots’

Press ‘OK’

Personalize the name of your device hotspot

Personalize the password

Press ‘Save’

On the phones in which you’d like to connect to your new hotspot, search for Wi-Fi and type in the personalized password you just created. Multiple devices will be able to connect to one device hotspot.

Warning: The internet of the mobile hotspot will be used by all the devices connecting to it. Sign up for an unlimited data plan, or simply connect to Wi-Fi to avoid unnecessary costs.

10F. How to to turn on or off Wi-Fi

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Press ‘Wi’Fi’

Turn on the toggle button near ‘Wi-Fi’

(Select ‘Smart Network Switch’ for the device to automatically choose whether to use Wi-Fi or mobile networks)

Select the desired Wi-Fi network

Enter the Password. To see the password as you type, press on the ‘Show Password’ box.

Press ‘Connect’

Wi-Fi is now connected.

To disconnect from Wi-Fi:

Do steps 1-4

Turn off the ‘Wi-Fi’ by pressing on the toggle button.

To forget a network:

Do steps 1-3

Press on the words ‘Wi-Fi’

Press on the network you are connected to

Press ‘Forget’

If desired, turn off the ‘Wi-Fi’ capabilities as stated above.

10G. How to turn on or off roaming

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Press ‘More Networks’

Press ‘Mobile Networks’

Press on the checkbox near ‘International Data Roaming’

Press ‘International Data’

Press ‘OK’

Warning: Data roaming must be part of your phone plan to avoid being charged.

It may be necessary to search for a compatible network in the area in which you are in. This setting can be automatically turned on. Rarely, you may need to contact services in the area for the correct APN settings.

10H. How to add or remove an email address

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘General’

Press ‘Accounts’

Press ‘Add Account’

Select the type of account you’d like to add

Type in the username

Press ‘Next’

Sign into google by typing in username

Press ‘Next’

Type in the password

Press ‘Next’

Press ‘Accept’

Adjust details for the new account such as if it should be a backup for your devices data

Press ‘Next’

To remove an account:

Do steps 1-4 as stated above.

Press on the account type you’d like to remove

Press on the account name

Press on the ‘Options’ icon on the top right (3 dots)

Press ‘Remove Account’

Press ‘Remove Account’ to confirm

Please note: You will no longer have access to the emails or data associated with this account. Yet it is easily accessible using a different device or by signing in through a browser.

10I. How to turn on or off Bluetooth

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Press on the words ‘Bluetooth’

Turn on the slider near ‘Bluetooth’

Check off the box near the phone’s name to make it visible to other devices

Press on the desired nearby device to connect to

Confirm by pressing ‘Ok’ on both devices

They are now paired.

To forget a Bluetooth connection:

Do steps 1-4

Press the settings picture near the bluetooth device

Press ‘Unpair’

Turn off Bluetooth by pressing on the slider towards the top of the screen

11A. How to enable or disable my own caller ID

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Applications’

Press ‘Call’

Press ‘More Settings’

Press ‘Show my Caller ID’

Press ‘Hide Number’ to hide it from all outgoing calls. To hide it temporarily, press *67 before making a call

To disable this feature, press ‘Show Number’

11B. How to forward my calls to another phone number

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Applications’

Press ‘Call’

Press ‘More Settings’

Press ‘Call Forwarding’

Choose the desired option

Type in the phone number to forward calls to

Press ‘Turn On’

11C. How to bar certain numbers from calling me

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Applications’

Press ‘Call’

Press ‘Call Rejection’

Press ‘Auto Reject List’

Press the + (plus) sign on the top right

Type in the phone number to block

Press ‘Save’

To undo:

Do steps 1-5

Check off the phone number you’d like to un-bar

Press ‘Delete’ on upper right hand corner

11D. How to add a contact or delete it

To add a new contact to an address book:

Option 1:

Open the Contacts app

Press the Plus (+) sign on the upper right hand corner

Type in the Name, Phone number, Email and any other information for the new contact

Press ‘Done’

Press ‘Save

Option 2:

Open the Calling app

Type in the number you’d like to add

‘Add to Contact’

Press ‘Create Contact’

Add the Name, Email and other information

Press ‘Save’

To delete a contact:

Open the Contacts app

Search for the contact to delete

Press on the contact

Press the ‘Options’ key

Press ‘Delete’

Press ‘OK’

12A. How to see my software version

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘General’

Press ‘About Device’

Read the Software information

12B. How to update my software version

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘General’

Press ‘About Device’

Press ‘Software Update’

Press ‘Check for Updates’

Press ‘OK’

If there is an update, it will prompt you to update it. If there isn’t it will say ‘Current Software is Up to Date’

Press ‘OK’

13A. How to send a text or MMS

To send a text:

Open the messaging app

Press the icon on the bottom right corner to compose a message

Add the contact to whom the message will be sent

Add the message to the message field

Press the send icon to send the message.

To send a multimedia message (MMS):

Do steps 1-4

Press the paper clip icon near the text message to attach media to the message

Choose which media to add and from where to find it. In this example we will be doing ‘Image’

Press the location in which the find the image. Press ‘Gallery’ if its an image you photographed.

Open the section within gallery where the image is located

Select the desired images

Press the send icon to send the message.

13B. How to delete a text or MMS

Open the ‘Messaging’ App

Open the thread in which the message is located

To delete an individual message: Press the ‘Trash Can’ icon and select the messages to delete. Press ‘Done’.

To delete the thread: Hold down the thread and check off the ones to delete. Press the trash can to delete. Press ‘Delete’ to confirm.

Warning: Factory resets are final and will erase files, media and data from the mobile device.

2A. How to change to a new background image

Option 1:

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Photos’ or ‘Gallery’ option.

Open the desired image to place as the background photo.

Press the ‘Options’ key

Select ‘Set As…’

Choose the desired option of which you’d like to change the wallpaper

Option 2:

Press the ‘Menu’ key

Press ‘Set Wallpaper’

Choose the desired option of which you’d like to change the wallpaper

Choose the desired location in which to find the image

Select the image

2B. How to change brightness

Option 1:

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘My Device’

Press ‘Display’

Press ‘Brightness’

Adjust the brightness as desired

Press ‘Ok’

Option 2:

Drag down the phones header by tapping it and sliding downwards

Drag it down once more to see more options

Adjust the brightness

2C. How to adjust screen timeout time

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘My Device’

Press ‘Display’

Press ‘Screen Timeout’

Adjust the amount of time desired for the screen to time out.

2D. How to add or remove a widget

To add a widget:

Press and hold on an empty spot on the home screen.

Press ‘Apps and widgets’

Choose the ‘Widget’ tab on the top of the screen

Select the widget you’d like to add. The sizing needed for each one is specified as 1×1 or 1×2 etc.

Drag the widget onto the desired location on the screen.

Moving a widget is done in the same form. Press and hold it and drag it to the desired location.

To remove a widget:

Hold and drag the desired widget into the trash can above

2E. How to lock device with a PIN

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘My Device’

Press ‘Lock Screen’

Press ‘Screen Lock’

Choose the desired method of screen lock

Enter the Pin or Password and press ‘Continue’

Confirm the Pin or Password

Press ‘Ok’

To undo the Pin or Password:

Do steps 1-5

Enter the Pin or Password

Select the ‘None’ option

3. How to find my phone number

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘More’

Press ‘About Device’

Press ‘Status’

Read ‘My Phone Number’

4. How to change the volume

Option 1:

Press the volume keys on the side of the device.

Up – higher the volume

Down – Lower the volume

Pressing the options symbol will open more options of different types of volumes you have control over, such as Ringtone, Media, Notifications and System.

Option 2:

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘My Device’

Press ‘Sound’

Press ‘Volume’

Adjust as desired

5. How to add an app or delete it

A Google account must be connected to the device in order to add an app.

If you haven’t yet set one up, it will prompt you to do so once you open Google Play:

Press ‘Existing’ if you already have a Google account. If not, press ‘Add’.

Sign in by entering your username and password.

Press ‘Ok’

Choose if you’d like to use this account to backup the data from the device as well as to receive communication.

Press the arrow key.

To add an app:

Open the ‘Play Store’ app on the main screen or press the menu key and find the App Store app there.

Search for the app you’d like to add by typing it in the search bar or looking in the categories listed towards the upper half of the screen.

Press on the desired app to learn more about it.

To download, press the 3 dots near the app name and press ‘Install’ or if the app details were opened, press ‘download app’.

Press ‘Accept’

Drag the app to the desired location and screen.

To remove an app:

Open the ‘Apps’ menu

Find the app you’d like to delete

Hold and drag the app into the ‘uninstall’ icon above.

6. How to set a calendar event or delete it

To add a calendar event:

Open the Calender app

Press on the day the event will be added to

Press the plus sign on the top right of the screen.

Enter the appropriate information such as a title, from date and time, to date and time, location and any notes applicable.

Press ‘Save’.

To delete a calendar event:

Press on the day that has the event you’d like to delete.

Press the options key

Press ‘Delete’

Press ‘Ok’ to confirm

7. How to turn on or off airplane mode

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Press ‘More Networks’

Press ‘Airplane mode’

Press ‘Ok’

Doing so will disable messaging, calling, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and data.

8. How to take a picture

Open the ‘Camera’ app

Point the device towards the object or person you’d like to photograph.

Tap the screen to select the focal point.

Press the camera image button to capture the image.

To view the image, press on the image that appears on the top left of the screen.

9A. How to see available storage amounts

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘More’

Press ‘Storage’

View the storage amounts available as well as the store amounts used.

9B. How to clear cookies and cache

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Chrome’ or ‘Browser’ option.

Press the ‘Options’ Key

Press ‘Settings’

Press ‘Privacy’

Press ‘Clear Browsing Data’ which is located on the top right of the screen.

Select which data you would like to clear, such as history, cookies, cache, site data, passwords or autofill data.

Press ‘Clear’

10A. How to see my data usage

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Press ‘Data Usage’

View Data Usage.

Set the data usage cycle

See which apps use the most data for this cycle

See how much data each app uses

10B. How to tether via USB

Connect the USB cable to the computer.

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Press ‘More networks’

Press ‘Tethering and Wi-Fi Hotspot’

Press ‘USB Tethering’

10C. How to adjust USB connection options

Drag down the header and touch ‘Connected as a media device’

Select the desired option.

MTP – Allows you to transfer files to and from a computer

PTP – Allows you to transfer all files to and from a computer as well as images using the camera software.

10D. How to reset to default APN settings

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Press ‘More Networks’

Press ‘Mobile Networks’

Press ‘Access Point Names’

Press the Options key

Press ‘Restore to Default’

The original APN settings will now restore.

At times there is difficulty connecting to one’s network provider. Resetting the APN may help this.

Most devices are branded to a specific network, so in order to connect to another that is compatible, you may need to contact them to find out their APN settings. Once they are set, the device should work properly.

10E. How to use my mobile device as a hotspot

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Press ‘More Networks’

Press ‘Tethering and Mobile Hotspots’

Press ‘Mobile Hotspot’

Press ‘Configure’

Personalize the name of your device hotspot

Personalize the password

Press ‘Save’

Turn on the ‘Mobile Hotspot’ feature in the previous setting

To connect to the a mobile hotspot, search for Wi-Fi and type in the correct password to this new hotspot. Multiple devices should be able to connect to one device hotspot.

Warning: The connecting devices will be using the mobile hotspot’s internet. Ensure that you have an unlimited data plan, enough data, or are connected to the internet via Wi-Fi to avoid a large data bill.

10F. How to to turn on or off Wi-Fi

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Turn on the ‘Wi-Fi’ by pressing on the toggle button

Press on the words ‘Wi-Fi’ to see the networks to connect to

Select the desired Wi-Fi network

Enter the Password. To see the password as you type, press on the ‘Show Password’ box.

Press ‘Connect’

Wi-Fi is now connected.

To disconnect from Wi-Fi:

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Turn off the ‘Wi-Fi’ by pressing on the toggle button.

To forget a network:

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Press on the words ‘Wi-Fi’

Press on the network you are connected to

Press ‘Forget’

If desired, turn off the ‘Wi-Fi’ capabilities as stated above.

10G. How to turn on or off roaming

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Press ‘More Networks’

Press ‘Mobile Networks’

Press on the checkbox near ‘Data Roaming’

Press ‘Ok’

Warning: While it is possible to connect to roaming without having a roaming plan, the network will charge a ton for it. Try to get a roaming plan before using it.

At times, you may need to contact networks in the area to find out their APN settings. Very often a network search is in order in order to use them. It is possible to turn this option on automatically to help you out.

10H. How to add or remove an email address

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Account’

Press ‘Add Account’

Select the type of account you’d like to add

Type in the username and password

Press ‘Next’

Adjust how often the account should sync and other details

Give this account a name on your device (for those with multiple accounts)

Label the account with a name for others to see when you send out messages

Press ‘Done’

To remove an account:

Do steps 1-3 as stated above.

Press on the account you’d like to remove

Press on the account name

Press ‘Remove Account’ that is located on the bottom of the screen

Press ‘Remove Account’ to confirm

Please note: removing an account will remove all emails and/or data that is associated with it from your device.

10I. How to turn on or off Bluetooth

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Press on the words ‘Bluetooth’

Turn on the slider near ‘Bluetooth’

Check off the box near the phone’s name to make it visible to other devices

Press on the desired nearby device to connect to

Confirm by pressing ‘Ok’ on both devices

They are now paired.

To forget a Bluetooth connection:

Do steps 1-4

Press the settings picture near the bluetooth device

Press Unpair

Turn off Bluetooth by pressing on the slider towards the top of the screen

11A. How to enable or disable my own caller ID

Open the Phone app

Press the ‘Option’ key

Press ‘Call Settings’

Press ‘Additional Settings’

Press ‘Caller ID’

Press ‘Hide Number’ to hide it from all outgoing calls. To hide it temporarily, press *67 before making a call

To disable this feature, press ‘Show Number’

11B. How to forward my calls to another phone number

Open the Phone app

Press the ‘Option’ key

Press ‘Call Settings’

Press ‘Additional Settings’

Press ‘Call Forwarding’

Choose the desired option

Type in the phone number to forward calls to

Press ‘Turn On’

11C. How to bar certain numbers from calling me

Open the Phone app

Press the ‘Option’ key

Press ‘Call Settings’

Press ‘Call Rejection’

Press ‘Auto Reject list’

Press ‘Create’

Type in the phone number to block

To undo:

Do steps 1-5

Check off the phone number you’d like to un-bar

Press ‘Delete’ on upper right hand corner

11D. How to add a contact or delete it

To add a new contact to an address book:

Option 1:

Open the Contacts app

Press the Plus (+) sign on the upper right hand corner

Type in the Name, Phone number, Email and any other information for the new contact

Press ‘Done’

Press ‘Save

Option 2:

Open the Calling app

Type in the number you’d like to add

Press ‘+ Add to contacts’

Press ‘Create Contact’

Add the Name, Email and other information

Press ‘Done’

Press ‘Save’

To delete a contact:

Open the Contacts app

Press the ‘Options’ key

Press ‘Delete’

Select the contacts to delete

Press ‘Delete’

Press ‘OK’

12A. How to see my software version

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘More’

Press ‘About Device’

Read the Software information

12B. How to update my software version

Press the ‘Apps’ menu option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Choose the tab on the top named ‘More’

Press ‘About Device’

Press ‘Software Update’

Press ‘Check for Updates’

Press ‘OK’

If there is an update, it will prompt you to update it. If there isn’t it will say ‘Current Software is Up to Date’

Press ‘OK’

13A. How to send a text or MMS

To send a text:

Open the messaging app

Press the icon on the top right corner to compose a message

Add the contact to whom the message will be sent

Add the message to the message field

Press the send icon (above the paper clip icon) to send the message.

To send a multimedia message (MMS):

Do steps 1-4

Press the paper clip icon to attach media to the message

Choose which media to add and from where to find it. In this example we will be doing ‘Image’

Press the location in which the find the image. Press ‘Gallery’ if its an image you photographed.

Open the section within gallery where the image is located

Select the desired images

Press the send icon (above the paper clip icon) to send the message.

13B. How to delete a text or MMS

Open the ‘Messaging’ App

Open the thread in which the message is located

To delete an individual message: Hold down the text to delete and press ‘Delete’

To delete the thread: Press ‘Delete’ and the entire thread will be deleted.

]]>https://mraberthon.com/troubleshooting-samsung-galaxy-mega-6-3/feed/0Troubleshooting the Sonim XP6https://mraberthon.com/troubleshooting-the-sonim-xp6/
https://mraberthon.com/troubleshooting-the-sonim-xp6/#respondSun, 13 Aug 2017 16:25:42 +0000https://mraberthon.com/?p=6490Learn more about the Sonim XP6 Table of Contents 1 – Factory reset How to do a factory reset 2 – Screen 2A – How to change to a new background image […]

8. How to take a picture

Point the device towards the object or person you’d like to photograph.

Tap the screen to select the focal point.

Press the blue button to capture the image.

To view the image:

Press the ‘Menu’ option

Slide and select the ‘Gallery’ option.

Open ‘Camera’

See the image

9A. How to see available storage amounts

Press the ‘Menu’ option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Press ‘Storage’

View the storage amounts available as well as the store amounts used.

9B. How to clear cookies and cache

Press the ‘Menu’ option

Slide and select the ‘Chrome’ or ‘Browser’ option.

Press the ‘Options’ Key

Press ‘Settings’

Press ‘Privacy & Security’

Press ‘Clear Cache’ which is located on the top right of the screen.

Press ‘OK’

Do the same with other options you would like to clear, such as history, cookies, cache, site data, passwords or auto-fill data.

10A. How to see my data usage

Press the ‘Menu’ option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Press ‘Data Usage’

View Data Usage.

Set the data usage cycle

View which apps or systems use the most data

View how much each app or system uses up of data within this usage cycle

10B. How to tether via USB

Connect the USB cable to the computer.

Press the ‘Menu’ option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Press ‘More’

Press ‘Tethering and Portable Hotspot’

Press ‘USB Tethering’

10C. How to adjust USB connection options

Drag down the header and touch ‘Connected as a media device’

Select the desired option.

MTP – Allows you to transfer files to and from a computer

PTP – Allows you to transfer all files to and from a computer as well as images using the camera software.

10D. How to reset to default APN settings

Press the ‘Menu’ option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Press ‘More’

Press ‘Mobile Networks’

Press ‘Access Point Names’

Press the Options key

Press ‘Reset to Default’

The original APN settings will now be restored.

This option is needed if there is difficulty connecting to the network provider of the device. At times it is due to a change in APN settings and a reset to default is in order.

If trying to connect to a compatible network that is not the network the device is branded with, contact customer service of your network to receive their APN settings. Press the plus sign on the top right of the ‘Access Point Names’ screen and add all the necessary information. This will help you connect to their network.

10E. How to use my mobile device as a hotspot

Press the ‘Menu’ option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Press ‘More’

Press ‘Tethering and Portable Hotspots’

Press ‘Portable Wi-Fi hotspot’

Press ‘OK’

Press ‘Set up Wi-Fi hotspot’

Personalize the name of your device hotspot

Personalize the password

Press ‘Save’

To connect to the a mobile hotspot, search for the name of this hotspot and type in the personalized password. Multiple devices should be able to connect to one device hotspot.

Warning: The connecting devices will be using the mobile hotspot’s internet. To avoid large internet bills, ensure that you have an unlimited data plan, enough data, or are connected to the internet via Wi-Fi.

10F. How to to turn on or off Wi-Fi

Press the ‘Menu’ option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Turn on the ‘Wi-Fi’ by pressing on the toggle button

Press on the words ‘Wi-Fi’ to see the networks to connect to

Select the desired Wi-Fi network

Enter the Password. To see the password as you type, press on the ‘Show Password’ box.

Press ‘Connect’

Wi-Fi is now connected.

To disconnect from Wi-Fi:

Do steps 1-2

Turn off the ‘Wi-Fi’ by pressing on the toggle button.

To forget a network:

Do steps 1-2

Choose the tab on the top named ‘Connections’

Press on the words ‘Wi-Fi’

Press on the network you are connected to

Press ‘Forget’

If desired, turn off the ‘Wi-Fi’ capabilities as stated above.

10G. How to turn on or off roaming

Press the ‘Menu’ option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Press ‘More’

Press ‘Mobile Networks’

Press on the checkbox near ‘Data Roaming’

Press ‘Ok’

Warning: Ensure that roaming is included in your service plan to avoid hefty fees.

You may need to go to networks and search for one compatible with the area in which you are in. Or, you may need to contact services in the area for the correct APN settings.

10H. How to add or remove an email address

Press the ‘Menu’ option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Press ‘Add Account’ under title of ‘Accounts’

Select the type of account you’d like to add

Type in the username and password

Press ‘Next’

Adjust details for the new account sync

Press ‘Next’

Give this account a name on your device (for those with multiple accounts)

Label the account with a name for others to see when you send out messages

Press ‘Next’

To remove an account:

Do steps 1-2 as stated above.

Press on the account type you’d like to remove

Press on the email account

Press ‘Options’ key

Press on the account name

Press ‘Remove Account’ that is located on the bottom of the screen

Press ‘Remove Account’ to confirm

Please note: removing an account will remove all emails and/or data that is associated with it from your device.

10I. How to turn on or off Bluetooth

Press the ‘Menu’ option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Turn on the slider near ‘Bluetooth’

Press on the words ‘Bluetooth’

Press on the phone’s name to make it visible to other devices

Press on the desired nearby device to connect to

Confirm by pressing ‘Pair’ on both devices

They are now paired.

To forget a Bluetooth connection:

Do steps 1-2

Press on the words ‘Bluetooth’

Press the settings picture near the bluetooth device

Press Unpair

Turn off Bluetooth by pressing on the slider towards the top of the screen

11A. How to enable or disable my own caller ID

Open the Phone app

Press the ‘Option’ key

Press ‘Settings’

Press ‘Additional Settings’

Press ‘Caller ID’

Press ‘Hide Number’ to hide it from all outgoing calls. To hide it temporarily, press *67 before making a call

To disable this feature, press ‘Show Number’

11B. How to forward my calls to another phone number

Open the Phone app

Press the ‘Option’ key

Press ‘Settings’

Press ‘Call Forwarding’

Choose the desired option. Press ‘Always Forward’ The other options are set as default to always forward to voicemail

Type in the phone number to forward calls to

Press ‘Enable’

To disable, do steps 1-5 and press ‘Disable’

11C. How to add a contact or delete it

To add a new contact to an address book:

Option 1:

Open the ‘People’ app

Press the Plus (+) sign on the loweright hand corner

Type in the Name, Phone number, Email and any other information for the new contact

Press ‘Done’

Option 2:

Open the Calling app

Type in the number you’d like to add

Press ‘+ Add to contacts’

Press ‘Create New Contact’ – Located on the bottom of the screen

Add the Name, Email and other information

Press ‘Done’

To delete a contact:

Open the Contacts app

Search for the contact to delete

Press on the contact’s name

Press the ‘Options’ key

Press ‘Delete’

Press ‘OK’

12A. How to see my software version

Press the ‘Menu’ option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Press ‘About Phone’

Read the Software information

12B. How to update my software version

Press the ‘Menu’ option

Slide and select the ‘Settings’ option.

Press ‘About Phone’

Press ‘Software Updates’

Press ‘Check for Updates’

If there is an update, it will prompt you to update it. If there isn’t it will say ‘Current Software is Up to Date’

Press ‘OK’

13A. How to send a text or MMS

To send a text:

Open the messaging app

Press the icon on the bottom left corner to compose a message

Add the contact to whom the message will be sent

Add the message to the message field

Press the send icon

To send a multimedia message (MMS):

Do steps 1-4

Press the paper clip icon near the contacts name or number to attach media to the message

Choose which media form to add and from where to find it. In this example we will be doing ‘Pictures’

Select the desired images

Press the send icon

13B. How to delete a text or MMS

Open the ‘Messaging’ App

To delete an individual message: Open the text thread. Hold down the message to delete and press the ‘Options’ key. Press ‘Delete’

To delete the thread: Hold down on the thread and press the trash can symbol. Press ‘Delete’

]]>https://mraberthon.com/troubleshooting-the-sonim-xp6/feed/0A Beginner’s Guide to WhatsApphttps://mraberthon.com/guide-whatsapp/
https://mraberthon.com/guide-whatsapp/#respondSun, 13 Aug 2017 16:00:35 +0000https://mraberthon.com/?p=6173A Beginner’s Guide to WhatsApp WhatsApp is in the news – again – with governments around the world railing against its ability to allow users to send messages fully encrypted, and unbreakable by security services who say such features are […]

WhatsApp is in the news – again – with governments around the world railing against its ability to allow users to send messages fully encrypted, and unbreakable by security services who say such features are useful to terrorists. But that doesn’t really tell anything like the story of WhatsApp is really about. To 99.99% of the population, it is a great messaging app that goes much further than almost any other similar software in doing what it does. Here we take a look at what WhatsApp can do, and how to do it.

Get an Account and the right software

To use WhatsApp, as you might expect, you need an account. You also need to have the right software to use it, which is available as apps from the Google Play Store, the Windows App Store and the Apple App Store. It is also available for Windows PC and Mac. You can register and download the desktop software from the WhatsApp website.

Note that you need to have the app installed on your phone in order to use the desktop software, as it uses the app to log into WhatsApp.

What’s Next?

Once you’ve registered for an account and installed the software, running the app opens a start-screen that shows any chats in progress (there won’t be any for now), your status and a call history. When on the “Chats” screen, in the bottom right of the screen is a green and white message icon. Tap this in order to send a message to a contact or to start a group message.

You will see a list of all the contacts in your address book that have WhatsApp installed. Because WhatsApp uses phone numbers, and not email addresses, contacts using the app are easily found. Simply tap a name to open the messaging window which resembles the usual smartphone messaging app. On this window it will also tell you when the contact was last online.

If you want to start a group discussion, at the top of your available WhatsApp contact list you’ll see an option for “New Group”. Tap this and you can then tap the contacts you want in the group. The group can be given any title you want and, from then on, any messages sent to the group will be seen by all in it.

Adding Images and More

When sending a message either to an individual or a group, alongside the typing field you will see icons to add emojis, attach images on your phone, take a picture with your camera and even to record a voice file for attachment to the message. Any attachments will appear alongside your typed message (if there is one).

If you wish to reply to a comment in a group conversation, long-press the comment you wish to reply to, and several icons will appear at the top of the app window. These allow you to Reply, Favorite, Delete, Copy and Forward the message. From here you can also send a private message or call the writer of the comment highlighted.

Making Calls

If, so far, it all looks a little bit like the way Facebook handles messages and groups, you’d be right, but here is where WhatsApp really comes into its own.

WhatsApp will allow you to send messages and make calls to other WhatsApp users for free. Or almost. They are only actually free if you are on Wi-Fi, but most of us have home Wi-Fi, and most hotels provide it for free or at low cost. You can use a mobile data connection, but any calls you make will use up your data allowance in no time at all, so we’d advise sticking to Wi-Fi only unless it’s an emergency. Even then, it may probably still be cheaper to use your standard airtime contract to make the call. If you plan to make lots of them.

Calls are made in a similar way to how messages are sent. On the Calls screen, simply hit the green icon in the bottom right, and you can choose a contact from your list of WhatsApp users. You don’t need to have previously made contact with them, as long as they have the app they are a valid contact. Alternatively, if you already have a message window open for someone, you can call them directly from the message window by tapping the phone icon in the top bar.

Video Calling

Video calling is open to all users running Android 4.1 or iOS 8, or later. Yo start a video call, simply select a contact from your list, to open a message window, and tap the video camera icon in the top bar. iOS users already have FaceTime, and the WhatsApp method is broadly comparable to that. Android users, though, aren’t quite so well catered for by the OS in our opinion, and this is where WhatsApp is a really good addition to the phone.

Other Useful Info

Once you have chats on the go, the list of them will appear when you start the app. Simply tap any of them to open the message window, again like the standard phone messaging app. Groups will always appear at the top of the list.

The final heading choice in the app is “Status”. This allows you to select an image off your phone or to take a new one with the camera. Once chosen or taken, you can then add a caption which will be shown against your name in the contact lists of other users. There is a default “I use WhatsApp…” type message, so it’s nice to change this for something a little less boring!

What’s the Catch?

There isn’t one, really. The only very minor downside is that the person you want to call or message must also be a WhatsApp user and must already be in your phone’s contacts list. If you want to add a user to the WhatsApp contacts list, you do so via your normal phone book and the app will cross check their phone number against registered users.

WhatsApp is a great app, one of the very few real essentials for either Android or iOS users.

]]>https://mraberthon.com/guide-whatsapp/feed/0Are Protective Screens and Covers Worth The Money?https://mraberthon.com/protective-screen-covers/
https://mraberthon.com/protective-screen-covers/#respondThu, 10 Aug 2017 16:00:47 +0000https://mraberthon.com/?p=6163Are Protective Screens and Covers Worth The Money? Phone cases and protective screens are big business. They might only be a few dollars each, but there are millions sold every year, but do you really need them? Cases are actually […]

Phone cases and protective screens are big business. They might only be a few dollars each, but there are millions sold every year, but do you really need them?

Cases are actually a pretty good idea for a number of reasons. Apart from offering some protection, albeit often rudimentary, it does add grip to what are usually very slippery devices. The issue with covers is that cheaper versions are often a poor fit, even when used on the phone it was designed for, and the cutouts for volume etc. is often so far off that it’s pointless.

However, some cases are excellent, and are often worth the extra few dollars they may cost to buy.

When it comes to the type of case to consider, many are really no more than anti-scratch covers, and will offer little protection against bumps and drops, but that doesn’t mean they’re not a good idea. Smartphones, like new cars, lose value pretty quickly, so the more effort you make to keep it scratch and dent free, the better. The pre-owned value of a smartphone goes down faster than a runaway bus on a steep hill, and every scratch to the phone case itself will accelerate that decline markedly.

A rubber add-on case may feel bulky and take away some of the precious good looks of your phone, but it will help to stop smashed screens and corner dings when you drop it, and you will. Smartphone manufacturers do make something of a beauty contest of buying one of their devices, but that only works up until you can no longer read the display after dropping it from 12 inches onto a soft floor.

It’s a similar, but different, story with screen protectors. They do offer some guarding against scratches, but certainly most flagship models these days already use scratch-resistant glass, and screen protectors don’t offer any protection at all from drops. If your phone hits a hard floor on a corner, or perfectly face down, it’s got a good chance of breaking, protector in place or not.

All they really do is remove a large amount of sensitivity, so you find yourself needing to press far harder to make things happen, a little like a return to the days of resistive screens where you practically had to punch them to press a key. In a pretty short time, you’ll also find yourself having to replace a screen protector because you have a spider web of cracks all over it. Fortunately, most can be removed without leaving any kind of residue, but watch those fingers as the edges will be very sharp if the protector is actually broken.

As you’ll have guessed, we’re not really fans of screen protectors. They may have some value to lower-budget phones that don’t incorporate Gorilla Glass or a similar toughened screen, but even then it’s not a certainty.

We do, though, heartily recommend a protective case, as long as you pick the right one. If something is for sale on eBay for a dollar, chances are it’s not even worth that. See if you can actually try your phone in a case to see what it looks and feels like and, crucially, to make sure the cutouts have been placed accurately.

]]>https://mraberthon.com/protective-screen-covers/feed/0Samsung S Series – Should You Upgrade?https://mraberthon.com/samsung-s-series-upgrade/
https://mraberthon.com/samsung-s-series-upgrade/#respondTue, 08 Aug 2017 16:00:11 +0000https://mraberthon.com/?p=6158Samsung S Series – Should You Upgrade? Annual upgrades of flagship models are common these days. Apple famously release a new iPhone every September and, whilst not so punctual as to stick rigidly to the same month each year, Samsung […]

Annual upgrades of flagship models are common these days. Apple famously release a new iPhone every September and, whilst not so punctual as to stick rigidly to the same month each year, Samsung generally do the same with the Galaxy S series, releasing an update every spring/early summer. The question for many people, though, is “Do I really need to upgrade every year?” and the answer is no, probably not.

Many Samsung customers already work to a biennial upgrade routine but, even then, is there enough of a difference between the releases to warrant such action? For the purposes of this article, we’ll assume that all variants within a release time frame have the same specs, as the only difference usually is that the Edge or + models have a larger display, yet remain the same resolution.

For some reason known only to Samsung themselves, they released the S6 model having removed the MicroSD card slot that had been present in the S5 and other models. If carrying movies and/or lots of audio files is your thing, this put the S6 at a disadvantage from the start. It may be that Samsung saw such an approach work for Apple, whilst ignoring the fact that Apple and Samsung customers are often very different things.

Samsung had also made the S5 with IP67 (water resistance) built in, but again saw fit to remove this from the S6. Together with the lack of a MicroSD card slot, these are not insignificant features that Samsung removed in the S6, and it left a lot of people both angry and a little bewildered over those decisions. Because of that, the S6, although selling massively, is a little like the Windows Vista of the Galaxy S range. It was always going to sell, but it was also ultimately going to be a little disappointing. Because of the glaring omissions, we actually see no good reason to stay with the S6. Conversely, if you see no reason to upgrade from an S6, you probably didn’t need one in the first place.

So, what about the S7 and S8, is it worth an upgrade from the former to the latter? Yes. And no. Let us explain.

There’s no doubt, when comparing black and white specs between the S7 and S8, that the S8 is just better equipped all round. If absolute maximum quality when watching movies is crucial to you, then upgrading to the S8 is a no-brainer. A bigger screen (5.8in to 5.1in) and a higher resolution (1440×2960 to 1440×2560) makes for a true visual feast. Not that the S7 display isn’t fantastic, it is, but the S8 just pushes it that bit further. The thing is, though, that the S8 doesn’t offer all that much more that will be of any practical use.

The S8 does have a faster processor, but the 1.6ghz quad-core CPU in the S7 will still comfortably outrun every single app out there, whether it’s games, GPS, or media players. Both devices are expandable with the thankfully reinstated MicroSD slot, there’s virtually no size or weight difference in the standard variants, both have identical network and connection capabilities, both have the same excellent 12MP rear camera and both have the same battery (3000mAh) although the S7 uses it a little more efficiently.

One significant improvement in the S8 is the upgrade in front camera from 5MP on the S7 to 8MP. However, selfies are rarely used for anything other than posting to social media or other online use, and so it does raise the question of what is the point of an 8MP front camera? Another change, and we’ll let you decide if it’s good or bad, is that the physical front buttons on the S7 have been switched to on screen digital buttons on the S8. What this does do is allow for the bigger physical screen size we see on the newer model, without increasing the overall size of the phone.

Overall, for the more casual user, the S8 doesn’t really offer any significant advantage over the S7, although both offer significant advantages over the S6. Now that the S8 has been out for a while, there are real bargains to be had for the S7 so, if you are looking to switch or upgrade your current phone, take to your browsers and do some research to find the best deals.

]]>https://mraberthon.com/samsung-s-series-upgrade/feed/0US Networks – A Broad Comparisonhttps://mraberthon.com/us-networks-a-broad-comparison/
https://mraberthon.com/us-networks-a-broad-comparison/#respondSun, 06 Aug 2017 16:00:01 +0000https://mraberthon.com/?p=6043US Networks – A Broad Comparison You can buy an airtime contract from lots of different providers in the US today, but they will almost all connect via one of 4 network infrastructures, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile. There are […]

You can buy an airtime contract from lots of different providers in the US today, but they will almost all connect via one of 4 network infrastructures, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile. There are nearly 30 independent operators in the US, but most of the rest are regional with limited coverage. Although it would be nice to think that the big 4 all offered a similar level of features and performance, it isn’t always the case. This comparison isn’t intended to recommend one network over another, and is based on widely available statistics and figures. It is merely intended to give an at-a-glance guide to who does what, and where.

Network

Network Type

Connections (millions)

Coverage

Verizon

CDMA

146

98%

AT&T

GSM

134

99.99%

T-Mobile

GSM

73

86%

Sprint

CDMA

60

88%

If you were to base your conclusions on just the above, you’d have to assume that CDMA is better than GSM, and that Verizon should be your first choice for a mobile operator, but it isn’t quite so straightforward.

The 4G standard requires the use of a SIM card, and so Verizon have built their own 4G network to run alongside their standard CDMA network, and is based on GSM technology. This might indicate that any unlocked GSM phone will work on Verizon, but that isn’t the case. Unlike true GSM operators, which can handle anything transmitted using 2G (text and calls only), 3G or 4G, Verizon will only allow the use of 4G devices, which not all are.

Also, 4G, whilst containing theoretical speeds in the standard, is actually provided at wildly varying speeds by all the operators, even differing by location.

Network

Average 4G Speed (Mbps)

Verizon

36

AT&T

25.6

T-Mobile

23.5

Sprint

17.7

So far, Verizon is keeping its nose ahead, by having almost universal coverage and the fastest 4G speeds, but what about value for money on call and data plans? Because of the massive variety of plans available, putting them in a simple table would be impossible. Because of that, we’ve gone for a straight comparison of plans offering unlimited calls and texts, with something in the region of 3GB of data. This will usually be plenty for most people, and there really is no need for an expensive unlimited plan.

Network

Monthly Cost

Data Rollover

HD Streaming

Verizon

$55

Y

Y

AT&T

$40

Y

Y

T-Mobile

$40

Y

$5

Sprint

$40

N

Y

So you see, it’s now looking a little less obvious about which network might be the prime choice.

Verizon may have the fastest average speed, but with no guarantee of maintaining the speed even between cell towers, but its coverage is less than that of AT&T and it is a whopping 37.5% more expensive than the other 3 networks.

For us, though, the dealbreaker where Verizon is concerned (and Sprint) is the use of CDMA networks. Yes, phones can be unlocked from one network and transferred to another, but once a GSM-enabled phone is unlocked, it’s unlocked everywhere and you can put as many different SIM cards into it as you like. This means 160 countries worldwide. Other than the US and Canada, you only really have Russia and South Korea using CDMA networks to any great extent.

Eventually, as non-4G phones disappear from use, then the network playing field becomes that much more level as there will be no need to provide 2G and 3G services, but we really are a long way from that point yet.

To clarify, though, we’re not explicitly saying use AT&T or anybody else, we’re saying choose carefully. Verizon may suit you perfectly because you get great coverage and great speed, and you feel that’s worth $15 a month. You can also get great plan deals from independent dealers who sell airtime for the big networks. Do some research into which network they piggy-back onto, and you could do even better than the examples we’ve used here. Your circumstances will dictate your choice, but this information is a good starting point for your mission to find the right network.

]]>https://mraberthon.com/us-networks-a-broad-comparison/feed/0Should I Buy A New Smartphone Online or In Store?https://mraberthon.com/buy-new-smartphone-online-store/
https://mraberthon.com/buy-new-smartphone-online-store/#respondThu, 03 Aug 2017 16:00:47 +0000https://mraberthon.com/?p=6038Should I Buy A New Smartphone Online or In Store? First, a disclaimer. Here at Mr Aberthon, we operate both an online store and a bricks and mortar store. In fact, our “real” store was trading very successfully a couple […]

First, a disclaimer. Here at Mr Aberthon, we operate both an online store and a bricks and mortar store. In fact, our “real” store was trading very successfully a couple of years before we launched our e-store. We only say this to be clear that this article isn’t just to promote our way of doing things, as we do both.

The bottom line is that online shopping is usually cheaper than store shopping. Usually. By the same token, there’s nothing better than being able to walk into a store and physically handle any item you’re considering buying, and smartphones are no different in that respect.

Many online-only stores also have quite patchy returns procedures, where the buyer often has to pay the postage when returning a defective item. If the item is simply no longer wanted, then fair enough, the buyer should expect to have to meet the cost of returning it if necessary, but if an item is faulty? No way, the responsibility lies firmly with the seller. This is one of the best reasons to buy in store, where you can go and put any faulty items right there on the counter-top if you need to. However, such “personal” service sometimes carry a premium. Running a store costs money. Staff, utilities, rent, maintenance and a ton of other costs really do add up.

With competition in any industry being particularly stiff nowadays, and incredibly so in the world of mobile devices, many sellers such as Mr Aberthon do everything we can to keep prices down, and this means retail and online prices will usually be no different unless there’s a particular promotion in place for online-only deals. Of course, it’s the online prices which are honored in store, as Google is the first place anybody goes to compare prices, and not the other way around.

But, as we said, online is usually cheaper if there is no physical shopfront to be maintained, but this carries the risk of a long winded returns procedure, or an item not being physically how it was described on the company website. But there is a different way of doing things where you get the best of both worlds.

If you have an idea of the smartphone you want, but really want to see it up close and personal, then take an hour to do just that. We’re not saying buy it, just look at it, handle it and see if it fits your needs. Then, assuming the in-store price is higher than you want to pay, go home and order it online from a reputable dealer. By ‘reputable’, we don’t just mean ‘big’, we mean one with lots of genuine reviews and a good reputation amongst people you know who may have used them.

Amazon is now one of the biggest retailers in the world, but still a great many of its products are sold by 3rd parties through the Amazon website. Now Amazon are good at being there when you need help, but it all takes time. It’s also difficult if you need to contact them more than once, as you will never get the same person twice, and often have to repeat yourself if the notes on the original call aren’t great. They’re also not always the cheapest, by the way. Often, smaller retailers with fewer overheads will beat Amazon on price, in part because 3rd party sellers will add some of the Amazon commission they have to pay, onto the advertised price.

So, in reality, browse in store and buy online. If you can do both at a price that suits, then all the better.

]]>https://mraberthon.com/buy-new-smartphone-online-store/feed/0What Is The Lifespan Of A Mobile Device?https://mraberthon.com/lifespan-mobile-device/
https://mraberthon.com/lifespan-mobile-device/#respondTue, 01 Aug 2017 16:00:02 +0000https://mraberthon.com/?p=6027What Is The Lifespan Of A Mobile Device? This isn’t an easy one to answer, because it depends on how old your phone is. Yes, really. The Nokia 3310 was re-released in Europe in June and is slated for the […]

This isn’t an easy one to answer, because it depends on how old your phone is. Yes, really.

The Nokia 3310 was re-released in Europe in June and is slated for the US at a later date. Okay, it’s not an exact replica of the original 3310, but the styling is very similar, and the specs don’t go much beyond what Nokia’s legendary device used to have. Given that the 3310 is approaching 20 years old, is it likely that the original iPhone would have such a successful relaunch if it were to happen today? No, probably not.

It’s not because the iPhone wasn’t any good, it single handedly started a revolution – such was its capabilities, it’s just that it’s outdated and things have moved on. But why aren’t we saying things about the new 3310? Well, we can, and with just as much validity, but that would be to miss the point.

A “feature” phone, such as the 3310 (old or new) and even more recent flip-phones and similar devices just never age. One of the reasons is that they were never really intended to do much more than make texts and calls, perhaps take a snapshot or two and occasionally play MP3s. Because of that, there’s no aging process. All the things feature phones could do can still be done, and, with the exception of camera quality and storage space, aren’t done any differently now than they were then. On the base side of things, technology really hasn’t changed all that much.

Consider that alongside the longevity of what a smartphone like the iPhone or anything else does. The relative lack of storage will now be an issue, just like old feature phones, as will camera quality and other material inclusions. However, it’s how it all works which might be the biggest problem when it comes to smartphones staying alive when there has been 6 or 7 revisions in the meantime.

Android and iOS are, without doubt, wonderful things. Without them, we just wouldn’t be doing all the things with our smartphones that we can do. Apps, GPS and more that we use almost unthinkingly. The problem with software is that it needs to maintain compatibility with the operating system that runs it, and this is true of everything from a smartphone to a mainframe computer. Over time, OS functions change, and apps need to be brought up to date with new code. This is okay, up to a point, but developers usually don’t have the time or – let’s face it – inclination to keep updating and releasing several versions of the same program just in the cause of backwards compatibility.

How often have you seen an app that refuses to install on a smartphone because it’s running iOS7 or Android 4.0? Believe us, it happens a lot. Although we’re currently only at Android 7.1.2, there has already been 25 versions of the Android Application Programming Interface (API). With each update of the API, which holds the libraries and building blocks that work together to run software, many improvements are brought into play, but it also means some older devices won’t be able to utilize many of them due to hardware, memory or other practical restrictions. If an app has been around for a long time, it has probably been partly re-written a dozen or more times to take a new API into account. At what point does it become more trouble than it’s worth to continue looking after older models as well?

Without apps, that issue just doesn’t arise.

On the hardware front, a phone becomes obsolete for you when it can no longer keep up with the physical demands of what you do with it. As apps, particularly games, become more processor intensive, judders, slowdown and outright hangs of the device become more commonplace and more frustrating. The phone isn’t broken, it’s just old and, like anything, the work necessary to do what were once regarded as simple tasks become more difficult.

The average lifespan of a smartphone in the US, from a pure ownership timescale standpoint, is 21 months. Yes, people change smartphones on average every one and three quarter years.. This doesn’t mean the smartphone they have no longer works perfectly well, just that we now live in an increasingly disposable society, where such things are now seen as accessories, rather than treasured possessions. It’s probably no coincidence that many contract periods for smartphones bought with airtime deals are two years, and providers start bombarding customers with upgrade offers after about 20 months.

If you only have a handful of apps that you use all the time, the risks to the usefulness of your smartphone are minimal, so don’t worry that whatever you’re using is already out of date, because it probably isn’t.

It’s just that we should have all stuck with feature phones. Okay, we shouldn’t, but you get the drift.

]]>https://mraberthon.com/lifespan-mobile-device/feed/0Are Apple And The iPhone Losing Their Magical Touch?https://mraberthon.com/apple-iphone-losing-magical-touch/
https://mraberthon.com/apple-iphone-losing-magical-touch/#respondSun, 30 Jul 2017 16:00:29 +0000https://mraberthon.com/?p=6006Are Apple And The iPhone Losing Their Magical Touch? Love them or hate them, Apple and original iPhone revolutionized the mobile industry. It was the template for just about everything that has come since and, although technology has improved considerably, […]

Love them or hate them, Apple and original iPhone revolutionized the mobile industry. It was the template for just about everything that has come since and, although technology has improved considerably, and many additional features have been added, the iPhone’s legacy can be seen in every model from every manufacturer.

The original iPhone recently passed the 10th anniversary of its release, but where is the iPhone range now? Is it still unqualified triumph with every new model or, as was unkindly suggested on social media during the anniversary celebrations, should we just use the hashtag #iPhoneAt1 and repeat it 9 times?

As we’ve said, and of which there is no doubt, we all owe Apple a massive debt of gratitude. We’d had smartphones with touch screens before the iPhone, but this brought it to mass market attention and set us all on a path towards the ultimate user experience. It’s true that, at least up to the iPhone 4, Apple was still very much the innovator but what about since then? Has there been enough from Apple to show us that they are still the leader in smartphone design and manufacture?

If you purely look at sales figures, the answer is that they must be, as iPhone sales are still pretty strong despite showing slower growth and even lower sales figures quarter on quarter, than in previous years. Apple put this down to people waiting for the release of the 10th Anniversary iPhone, and this may be true, but in a year when Samsung have lurched through a series of less than favorable experiences, culminating in the Galaxy Note 7 being withdrawn from sale as a fire risk, it seems surprising that Apple couldn’t really capitalize as much as they perhaps should have.

If we leave sales aside, what have Apple actually done with the iPhone over the years? If we look at it coldly, from the iPhone 5s onwards, it seems not a lot. Yes, the specs have improved but, in an industry which relies almost entirely on computer processors and where processor performance doubles every two years (Moore’s Law), it’s almost impossible not to improve the technical specs of any electronics device. As for features, it has become more difficult to see where Apple have provided any innovation to the industry at all, and they are more likely to follow than lead, these days.

As we’ve mentioned, that hasn’t always been the case. Up as far as the iPhone 5s, we’d seen the app store, multi-touch, Siri, true 64bit processing and more but, since then, we haven’t really seen a great deal. Apple have long tried to convince us that their Retina displays are something special, when they are really nothing of the sort. There’s no such standard as Retina, and Apple apply the term to their range of devices seemingly at random, and based on how far away from the screen Apple thinks you should be. Thankfully, it looks like they are abandoning this technical fudge if the rumors of Samsung producing Super AMOLED displays for the iPhone 8 are to be believed.

Of course, it can be argued that other manufacturers, notably Samsung if we’re honest, follow a similar path of evolution rather than revolution, and this is probably true in part. The difference is that Android allows Samsung to utilize many other devices and technologies when deciding what their smartphones should and shouldn’t do. Linking to other Android-based devices allows Samsung users and others to just do so much more, and usually much cheaper than Apple users can do. Apple is so proprietary in nature than they alone determine what you can do with an iPhone. By definition this stifles innovation.

Whilst it’s true that Android is a real driving force that allows for innovation in compatible smartphones, the fact that 3rd party developers can just do so much more with Android than with iOS, even just in terms of getting products to market, means Apple risk being left behind.

iPhones are great, no question, but we do wonder how much of their current popularity is down to people being invested in apps and other hardware which makes switching operating systems more difficult. We hope we’re wrong, and the iPhone 8 will be a good indicator of where iPhones are today.

]]>https://mraberthon.com/apple-iphone-losing-magical-touch/feed/0A Smartphone For All Reasonshttps://mraberthon.com/5997-2/
https://mraberthon.com/5997-2/#respondThu, 27 Jul 2017 16:00:12 +0000https://mraberthon.com/?p=5997A Smartphone For All Reasons It’s not so long ago that a phone you could carry in your pocket was the stuff of Science Fiction or James Bond. Once we started to see truly mobile devices, the thought that they […]

It’s not so long ago that a phone you could carry in your pocket was the stuff of Science Fiction or James Bond. Once we started to see truly mobile devices, the thought that they might one day replace half a dozen other electrical items just seemed ridiculous to comprehend. But, not so very long after those times, here we are with smartphones that can do (almost) anything.

A History Lesson

To the younger people of the world, mobile phones, possibly even smartphones, have always been around. They have no experience of the days when mobile phones were only in cars, or had to be accompanied by a battery pack the size of a briefcase. Even then, so few people had mobile phones that they were only really used to call landlines. Back when Nokia ruled the world, nobody cared about social media, nobody thought watching movies outside of a house or movie theater, and nobody thought home video games would ever be played without a TV. Basically, nobody missed what they didn’t have.

But times change. Even what we call mobile telecommunications devices is slowly changing. In the US, the name “cellphone” is still heard more than anything else, but “mobile phone” is increasing in use and just “phone” is becoming more common by the day, such is the ubiquitous nature of smartphones today.

The Mobile Revolution

Early cellphones were very much seen as accessories for making calls and sending texts, nothing more. Sure, some came with basic games or maybe had a built in radio, but that was about it. Even then, nobody ever thought that these mini-marvels would one day have almost as many connections in the US as there are landlines in the home, and that an increasing number of homes don’t bother paying extra for a landline connection any more.

In the mid-90s, email, whilst not in its infancy as a concept, was something done on computers at home or in the workplace, and when Nokia managed to produce the 1011 with email capabilities built in, it was a sensation. Shortly after, Samsung introduced color screens. Only 4 colors, perhaps, but it was a glimpse into a spectacularly bright future.

The new millennium saw a massive advancement in mobile technology. Network providers developed their own technological capabilities to allow the receipt and transmission of more than just voice and basic data, and in just 2 or 3 years, we saw the phone equivalent of the space race. We saw cameras appear, GPS, Bluetooth, polyphonic ringtones, mp3 players, Video, MMS, and the one feature which is both loved and hated in equal measure, predictive texting.

By the middle of the the decade, we had quad band compatibility, Wi-Fi and, crucially, mobile browsing, and a few years later came touchscreens and the biggest game changer of all, apps.

One In, Lots Out

All these features meant things were quietly, but quickly, changing in how we used the phone in our pocket. With advanced data transmissions came faxing, printing, video calling and more. Suddenly, it looked like home computers were on the way out. This is unlikely, due to power and some other restrictions of mobile devices, but it certainly means that we no longer truly leave the office. In meetings we can receive brand new information instantly, when travelling we can prevent the boredom with movies, games and music, we can organize our lives down to the finest detail and set reminders for important things. We can subscribe to TV services, we can record everything from a simple voice note to multi-track music and we can take and send pictures in an instant.

The nature of the world means we will never abandon our big box electronics or more basic accessories completely but, in theory, the list of devices and objects that can be entirely replaced by a smartphone – if we really wanted to – is staggering.

Home computer

Fax machine

Home phone

TV

Hi-fi

Camera

Diary or calendar

Address book

Calculator

Filing cabinet

Recording studio

Voice recorders

Pen and paper

Clock

Photo album

And a million other everyday and occasional things. We can live our lives without ever leaving the house thanks to online shopping and home delivery. A wi-fi connection and a smartphone or tablet are all we need to conduct our lives.

Such thoughts a generation or two ago would have struck fear into many hearts. Now we take such things for granted, and it won’t be long before things move on further from the sci-fi of the 1950s to the sci-fi of today. We have no idea what the future will bring but, if the last 20 years are anything to go by, we’ll embrace it all as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

]]>https://mraberthon.com/5997-2/feed/0The Top 7 Phones for a Plumberhttps://mraberthon.com/phones-for-plumber/
https://mraberthon.com/phones-for-plumber/#respondMon, 24 Jul 2017 17:05:59 +0000https://mraberthon.com/?p=5969The Top 7 Phones for a Plumber Did you ever drop your phone into the exact water backup that you were trying to repair? Well then, we are more then happy to welcome you to the world of rugged devices, […]

Did you ever drop your phone into the exact water backup that you were trying to repair? Well then, we are more then happy to welcome you to the world of rugged devices, made just for you. They will survive the roughest conditions, or better yet, thrive in them. They were created to withstand pressure, water, noise and dust. Placing a phone call while the machines are running or while in working underground will no longer be a challenge at all with these 7 phones that we recommend for exactly such work.

Welcome to the world of rugged phones.

Simple Phones

They are designed to do the job, and do it right without the add-ons. All devices are dust proof and will survive being up to 3 feet of water for 30 min.

This device is the most basic of the all the durable devices listed below, yet you’ll be unlikely to notice it due to all it contains. It may be a flip phone, yet with email and web accessibility, you will be connected with 3G as desired. A small downside, or is it upside, is that Wi-Fi is not available. Some people specifically get this phone as it will only do what it every phone was created to do, taking and placing calls, as long as your plan has no data of course.

It is by far the lightest device and is the perfect one to carry around on you all day. Small and perfect, it is compliant with the MIL-810 standard, meaning it is salt proof and can withstand extreme temperature changes as well as most chemicals.

It does have a small memory yet can be expanded to much larger amount, just like its bigger brother the Rugby 4. Want to talk, and talk and talk? You can easily do so for 9 hours straight, just make sure to get some work done as well.

It includes the ability to connect to GPS which is a complete breakthrough for such a basic phone. Since the price is right and it does the job well, which this device definitely does, I would suggest to buy it and enjoy!

The Rugby 4 is a step up from its sister the Rugby 3. It has a slightly improved battery life of 14 hours as well as voice commands. The camera is just about compatible and the weight has only stepped up a drop.

So what sets it apart? It has a compass and Gps with helpful navigation step by step instructions along w traffic alerts. It is proud to boast its Military grade (Mil-STD 910f) certification and like the Rugby 3 it can combat fungus, humidity, salt fog, extreme vibration, impact and so much more. It is tested so thoroughly that a certified device means it can survive in military use. That includes a Ballistic Shock Test so it won’t fall apart with even large pressure.

There are still two more updates that this phone has on its predecessor. One is that it will connects to 4G networks vs a 3G and will therefore give you a much higher quality internet when you need it most. The second is its improved Bluetooth which means you will have an easier time connecting to other devices as well as receiving data from them.

Yes, this device still won’t have an app store nor smartphone capabilities and has slightly less internal storage then the Rugby 3, although it can be expanded tremendously as well, but you won’t feel the difference. While it does cost slightly more, you will be getting plenty more gimmicks, so it’s totally worth the deal, no?

The advantage to its flip phone encasing is the durability it comes with, keeping its screen safe. Its speakers will overpower nearby noise that you may encounter and this device is compatible with data, bluetooth and Wi-Fi signals.

On top of that, it blows over what the Rugby 3 and 4 are offering, with being waterproof up to 6 feet for 30 min and being able to survive a 6 feet fall directly on the concrete. Whether you are the rough and tough worker or the talkative one, this phone is for you. If you do work best while talking things over, so this phone will keep running for a 9 hour workday with non-stop talking. No need for the worry of it catching fire either as its non incendive.

If you are looking for any downsides as it is sounding too good? It does have a smaller screen and isn’t a typical smartphone with the apps they come along with. But for a basic ‘ballistic style’ phone, its strength is anything but basic.

Smartphones

If you need the add on’s of a touch screen with internet while enjoying the sheer strength of a durable device, this is your section.

Similar to the simple of these durable phones, this device is also safe up to 1 meters in water for 30 min. If that doesn’t cover all the ground that you need, it is resistant to rain, sand, humidity, vibration and thermal shock. In short, the MIL-810 Military standard does its job well to ensure you don’t need to think twice about your phone while at work.

Unlike the DuraXe which is the best of the simpler rugged devices in this list, this device should last you 17 hours of talk time. It weighs more than the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active does, but its durability may account for that. The Duraforce has better cameras than the Rugby Pro yet the Samsung Galaxy S5 has double its megapixels.

Want to hear what else is so special about the Duraforce? The price for its gadgets is truly unbeatable. Get a great smartphone with great strength for great price.

Did you want the Rugby 3 or 4 yet in a smartphone? Here it is without loosing any of its strength. It includes all the gimmicks that a regular smartphone would have with its two cameras, Wi-Fi connections and the like but also includes some extras that would surely surprise you.

Here’s the biggest deal breaker for a plumber (or the lifeguard on duty at the beach) who may want to accidentally take it for a swim. While this device is waterproof to 3 feet for up to 30 minutes like the other devices, it will actually work while underwater as a protective feature although it’s not recommended to try out.

Of course it passes IP67 and Mil-STD 810 standards as do all the other rugged devices we are offering. Extras include anti-scratch touch screen with superb coloring and a great amount of talk time to overpass the time of your shift as well as the travel home.

This device costs that same as any more offordable smartphone while not giving in whatsoever on the quality in the device a plumber may need.

As with all the rugged devices in this list, the S5 active knows its customers well. It was designed to stay safe, dustproof and water resistant up to 1 Meter for 30 minutes. While not as waterproof at the Sonim XP6 and the DuraXE, it is can still swim quite the race. Its robust edges are armour-like yet it feels pretty similar in weight to its original Samsung S5.

It is protected with the IP67 standard so is 100% both dust and water-resistant (not waterproof). The Mil-STD-810 is that of military and other high-level equipment combating extreme temperatures, shock, immersion, humidity, fungus etc.

Functionality is the same as the S5, so if you’ve got one, you’ll feel right at home with the other. It has got quite the tough glass to counteract being a smartphone with a nice size screen, and has camera quality to send pictures home about.

This device costs more than the Rugby Pro yet quite a bit less than the regular S5. So want to be part of the in-crowd with a phone that’s ever so practical for your work? This is the one.

This is the most expensive in our list of 7 rugged devices, and not for no reason. It is built like a tank and can withstand pretty much anything. Going to the moon or 200 feet underground, this is for you.

While the Sonim XP6 has buttons, it really functions like a smartphone with the Android system. Of course it has what the other rugged phone have like being resistant to anything it may come in contact with in a plumbers workday, but it will be the winner of every race.

It can actually live underwater at 6 feet for 30 minutes as well as surviving a fall of 6 feet right onto the concrete. Worry no more that the extreme outdoor temperature may affect the phone while you are working. It will be safe from -4°F until 130°F (no sweat or frost). Have you ever dropped a tool right onto the phone and seen it shatter? This will be totally alright with the XP6 as it can handle a 1 LB steel ball being dropped from 8 inches right onto the screen, or 1 ton of pressure directly on it. If that is not enough, it can bear oil and chemical exposure so greasy hands or the chemicals you are using are no worry either.

Another brilliant addition of the Sonim XP6 over the other 6 rugged devices, is that its speaker system is built to outbid machines that are in full force right near you. This is a pure necessity to a worker who is used to tough work, tough noise and now needs a tough phone to perfect the deal.

Oh, and you can talk straight for 40 hours or have the device on for 45 days in standby mode in case of a long day, night and day shift. Still not convinced? Buy it and try it yourself, it will be even greater than you imagined.

In conclusion

Rugged mobile devices is a new and brilliant world to explore. Each of these phones are worth every penny as they will last many lifetimes over their peers, especially if you work as a plumber or any other such phone-durability-demanding lifestyle. Your friends will be in awe at the gimmicks your phone has over theirs, and you yourself will be amazed at just how well it performed. These durable devices are indestructible.

]]>https://mraberthon.com/phones-for-plumber/feed/0How To Upgrade to Windows 10 On Your Mobile Devicehttps://mraberthon.com/upgrade-to-windows-10/
https://mraberthon.com/upgrade-to-windows-10/#respondMon, 24 Jul 2017 15:41:16 +0000https://mraberthon.com/?p=5610How To Upgrade to Windows 10 On Your Mobile Device As far as operating system updates on mobile devices go, it’s usually your chosen carrier who will decide how and when you get the update, assuming it has been made […]

As far as operating system updates on mobile devices go, it’s usually your chosen carrier who will decide how and when you get the update, assuming it has been made available for your specific device. This is true of all devices, whether Android, iOS or Windows Phone, with older devices often being excluded from the update path.

The reasons for this selective updating will that manufacturers will decide which of the models are sufficiently powerful to run it, and the list gets even shorter when we start to talk about upgrades from one full version to another. In this case, we’ll look at upgrading your Windows Phone to Windows 10. To check if your phone is compatible, check out the official list from Microsoft. If your phone appears on this list, but hasn’t yet received the official upgrade from the carrier, ask them when it will be rolled out.

The older the device, the later major upgrades are usually received, partly because these are the devices most likely to suffer issues with early releases and partly because buyers of new models are always considered the priority. Just because your device is on the Microsoft list, though, may not always mean your carrier is going to push the update to your phone, so is it possible to upgrade to Windows Mobile 10 manually? It is, but there are risks attached.

Note: We highly recommend waiting for the official release by your airtime provider, and cannot accept any responsibility if you damage your phone by using the techniques in this article. You use this information entirely at your own risk!

When Windows Mobile 10 was released, Microsoft released an Upgrade Assistant app that could be used in the same was as it was on desktop PCs, in that it would check compatibility and then add you to the upgrade list to be done at a later time. Strangely, Microsoft appear to have withdrawn the app, or at least stopped it actually doing anything. It will still run, but will return no results and doesn’t seem to check the device in any way for compatibility. Why they would do this is anybody’s guess, but all is not lost.

Microsoft have long allowed early access to updates and upgrades of Windows Mobile through their Windows Insider program, and this can be used to get updates manually. In order to be able to do so, you first need to register as a Windows Insider. You will need a Microsoft Account for this, and probably have one just because you are a Windows Phone user. If not, simply create an account. The big advantage Microsoft have in that regard over Google, is that you can use any email address, and don’t need a live.com address in the same way that Google insist you use a gmail.com address for all their services.

You can then get the Windows Insider app from the Windows Store on your phone, but be aware that the store might report the app as incompatible with your device. It seems to depend on whether you had Windows 8.1 installed when you bought the phone or not. If you only had 8.0, there’s a chance the app won’t be available to you, but there doesn’t seem to be any defining condition which determines this, so keep your finger crossed.

Assuming you can install the app, once you run it you will be guided through updating as a Windows Insider. You will be offered 3 options for your insider level – Fast, Slow, and Release Preview. We recommend either the Slow or Release Preview level as these will be far more stable than the Fast level, which is really meant for developers. After you make your choice, you will see a warning from Microsoft that these updates are unstable code, and that you will be installing them at your own risk. Now is your chance to back out as, once you accept, you’re in for the full ride (almost).

When you tap “Accept”, your phone will reboot, and will start downloading updates as soon as it restarts. At that point, it becomes pretty much like any other update on your phone where, once the download has finished, you will be asked if you want to install it. This is truly your last chance to say no, as there is no downgrade path available once you’ve moved to Windows 10. We’d advise doing all this whilst on Wi-Fi and when charging, as any updates in progress when the battery dies might completely brick your phone. You also don’t want to risk mobile data charges.

Although the phone will advise you that installation will take 5 or 10 minutes, it will almost certainly take considerably longer, so grab a cup of coffee and relax for a while.

Some of the above guide may vary slightly, depending on the specific model of your phone, but it should all be broadly similar enough to get you through the process. Once the upgrade completes, the phone will reboot, and you’ll have Windows 10 installed and ready to go, with future updates being installed automatically.

Again, and we can’t stress this enough, if possible we really recommend going down the official route for upgrading, via your airtime provider. The above guide is used at your own risk.

]]>https://mraberthon.com/upgrade-to-windows-10/feed/0Do I Own My Smartphone, Or Does It Own Me?https://mraberthon.com/do-i-own-my-smartphone-or-does-it-own-me/
https://mraberthon.com/do-i-own-my-smartphone-or-does-it-own-me/#respondMon, 24 Jul 2017 15:27:44 +0000https://mraberthon.com/?p=5387Do I Own My Smartphone, Or Does It Own Me? We’ve all seen it, whole families in a restaurant with their heads bowed as in silent prayer, where the only prayer is if someone has liked their comment on Facebook […]

We’ve all seen it, whole families in a restaurant with their heads bowed as in silent prayer, where the only prayer is if someone has liked their comment on Facebook or whether they can reach the next level on whatever game they’re playing. It would be great if such an example was an exception, but it’s actually becoming more and more common.

So, to check who owns who, ask yourself these questions and see what your answers are.

What’s the first thing I do when I wake up in a morning?

If the answer is “take a shower, get dressed, have breakfast, check my phone” you can probably stop reading now, as you’re clearly in control of your smartphone needs and wants. If, however, the last of those actions comes first, that slippery slope to digital dependency is well and truly ready for you to step right onto.

If you’ve been asleep for, say, 8 hours, another half an hour isn’t going to make the slightest difference to whatever’s been waiting for you all night. Let it wait.

What notifications do I get on my phone?

If every app you have is constantly sending you notifications AND you feel compelled to check what the notification says, then you already know the answer to the question at the top of this article. App makers are now obsessed with notifications, but all apps have the facility to turn them off. On my own phone, for example, my work emails are the only audible notification I get. When I wanted an email app that did more than the default Android app, I looked for one that provided LED alerts as well as audible. It means I can monitor multiple accounts without being disturbed.

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the dozen other social media apps you might have just aren’t important when it comes to how you live your life. You may think they are, but they’re really not. If, though, you can’t live without them, that slippery slope is already underfoot.

Under what circumstances do I silence or turn off my phone?

Truthfully, I never turn off my phone, and the closest I get is a reboot if it’s necessary. However, I have my phone set up to be silent between 10pm and 8am, with just a few family and friend numbers authorized to break through the silence in case of emergencies. I also silence it in restaurants or other family situations, and never even look at it until we leave.

It’s about what’s important. If you check your phone at the first hint of a vibration, then you are effectively telling people around you that they’re not important to you and we’re back on the slope again. Modern society has massive interaction issues, and smartphones have to take some responsibility for that. Don’t add to it.

What happens if I leave the house without my smartphone?

If the answer is “nothing”, move on, you don’t need to read the rest of this. If, the answer, though, is that you miss it like a mom misses her precious baby on his first day of school, then ask yourself how people managed before mobile phones. The world didn’t stop, people didn’t lose friends and life just went on as before. That’s what happens when you don’t take your smartphone, the world goes on spinning.

Emails and app notifications don’t expire, they’ll all be there when you get home. If your friends have an issue with you not answering a text in the time it takes to sneeze, then that’s their problem. Literally, it’s a problem. Make a conscious decision to go out without your phone, you’ll see how liberating it can be.

How many Facebook friends do I have?

No one cares. You shouldn’t even care. According to studies, the average person has about 150 friends, but only about 30 of those really qualify if we say that friends are people who you see regularly and with whom you speak to frequently. The rest are more like an extended list of acquaintances, on a descending scale of importance.

If you have 2000 FB friends, and value every single one of them, it’s likely that at least 1950 never give you so much as a second thought during a typical day. Use Facebook, by all means, but don’t let it use you.

Would someone die if I didn’t have a smartphone?

If the answer is “yes”, then it’s okay to rely on your phone but, if the answer is “no”, then you truly can live without it.

]]>https://mraberthon.com/do-i-own-my-smartphone-or-does-it-own-me/feed/0Must Have Accessories For Your Smartphonehttps://mraberthon.com/must-accessories-smartphone/
https://mraberthon.com/must-accessories-smartphone/#respondSun, 23 Jul 2017 16:00:58 +0000https://mraberthon.com/?p=5879Must Have Accessories For Your Smartphone Smartphones are great, we all know that, and some of us have used them to replace several different devices that we used to use routinely around the home, office or outside. But they can’t […]

Smartphones are great, we all know that, and some of us have used them to replace several different devices that we used to use routinely around the home, office or outside. But they can’t do absolutely everything, however hard they try, so we’ve compiled this list of must-haves for the smartphone user about town.

In-Car Charger

If you drive, and you probably do – or will – then you need one of these. They cost just a few dollars and will truly save you at some point. There are cheap Chinese imports around, so try and go for something branded. The price difference will be negligible and you’ll greatly reduce the risk of frying your phone. If possible, look for one with additional USB ports in the top.

One of the real essentials of owning a smartphone.

USB On-The-Go

OTG, as it is commonly known is one of the real stars of the mobile accessory world. More and more devices now support the OTG standard that lets you attach an adapter to the USB port on your phone, and then plug in a wide range of accessories into the adapter, such as USB drives, keyboards, mice and more. There’s a problem, though, especially if you’re an iPhone owner.

Although an increasing number of Android devices support the standard, Apple, in their little cocoon of self-wisdom, refuse to fully embrace it. There are a handful of adapters available from Apple-certified manufacturers but, predictably, this makes them more expensive than the price paid by Android owners. Not all Android phones support OTG, so check first. Apps are available on the Play Store that will do the check for you instantly.

Bluetooth Headset

Although more and more car makers are including bluetooth as standard in their vehicles, not all do, and older cars usually won’t have the feature. Don’t be tempted to use your phone whilst driving, as your reaction times will slow considerably, and an increasing number of deaths on US roads are attributed to phone use whilst driving.

Instead, get one of these little beauties for taking and making calls on the go. Of course, it’s not just for in car use, you can also be looked at by people as you seemingly talk to yourself in the store.

Power Bank

We’ve already talked briefly about smartphones needing power when it’s not always convenient, and here is another great way to keep powered up. They are rated by mAh (milli Ampere hours) and the bigger the better. If you have a battery in your smartphone that is 2400mAh, then a fully charged power bank rated at 10,000mAh will let you charge your phone 4 times before you then need to recharge the bank itself.

If this sounds like a good thing, it is, and a reasonable capacity power bank will only cost you $20 or $30. They are also small enough to carry comfortably. Another true essential.

Chromecast

With a Chromecast dongle – or any comparable device – plugged into the USB socket of your TV, you can stream any content from your smartphone to the huge plasma you convinced yourself you needed or your life would be less worthy of living.

There’s not a lot else to say, except it’s 30 bucks, so you’d really have to be mad not to get one.

Bluetooth Speaker

There’s a massive difference in the quality, and price, of bluetooth speakers. One of the reasons is that a number of hi-fi manufacturers have gotten involved in making speakers for mobile devices, and they apply similar audiophile principles to those products as they do to their high end stuff.

This is one of the few accessories where we’d always recommend testing before you put your money down, such is the massive range of quality in both design, build and sound quality.

Ones That Didn’t Make It

We haven’t included camera lenses in this list, but why? Well, if you want a camera, buy a camera.

We would have loved to include Pressy, the “addon” hardware button that can be programmed to do almost any function on your phone but reviews have been, well let’s be kind, varied. It looks like a great idea, but very patchily implemented.

We also haven’t included selfie sticks, because we have some selfie respect.

If you’re reading this and wondering exactly what a mobile hotspot is, then check out our blog post explaining everything you need to know. If you’re familiar with the concept already, then you might be wondering which hotspot is best for you. Well, wonder no more, because here we compare two of the best, the Unite Explore and the ZTE Velocity.

In Case It’s All About The Looks

Although hotspot manufacturers generally aren’t looking to win awards based on how their device look, they do try to make them look reasonably attractive. More importance is usually placed on size and weight. In this respect, there’s not a lot in it, with the pair having almost identical. The ZTE Velocity is slightly longer at 4.7”, but the Unite Explore is slightly wider and thicker. Either way, though, we’re talking about a couple of tenths of an each each time.

Lookswise, they are again pretty similar. Both resemble a typical car GPS unit, with color touchscreens showing the information you need on things like battery life, dataflow, signal strength etc. The Unite Explore comes in any color you like, as long as it’s black, and the ZTE Velocity has a white option as well.

The Nuts and Bolts

Both are 4G enabled, both (of course) have wi-fi and can connect multiple other devices, and both have sizeable batteries although the Unite Explore takes that particular round with exceptional battery life. The Unite Explore includes a USB 3.0 port, although USB 2.0 is easily capable of outrunning any 4G connection in terms of data transfer speeds, so this isn’t quite so important. The ZTE Velocity has a MicroSD slot for carrying files around. Although this won’t allow movies to be streamed to any connected devices, it does allow a device connected to the hotspot via USB to access the files.

Let’s Get Tough

This is where separation of the two devices gets pretty wide. Although the ZTE Velocity is pretty tough, and will probably survive the odd drop far better than any smartphone, it doesn’t come close to the Unite Explore, which has been ruggedized and complies with several standards for water and dust proofing, as well as drops from up to 3 feet. It might seem a small thing, but hotspots are designed to be thrown in bags and purses, to be brought out when needed. The Unite Explore will survive all that, and more.

For what they are designed to do, there’s little to choose between them. It might be that the Unite Explore just shades it based on it being much tougher (although the ZTE Velocity is pretty tough), and that it gives just that bit more battery life and potentially faster wi-fi speeds. However, the Unite Explore is the more expensive of the two, so it’s probably natural that it comes out on top in this comparison, however narrowly.

Either way, though, you’re looking at two terrific mobile hotspots which, like all our devices are unlocked and ready for use on any GSM network in over 160 countries worldwide.